BIONIC Rim
by whuntva
Summary: A Matoran named Jaller is called to action as Kaiju run amok across the Matoran Universe. The newly implemented Jaeger Program needs two Matoran to pilot the new model. Jaller is paired with Hahli, but can they cooperate and survive this invasion?
1. Prologue

**Author's Note:** Originally published on Tumblr in Summer 2013 and DeviantArt in Spring 2014

 _ **BIONIC Rim**_

 **A BIONICLE/** _ **Pacific Rim**_ **crossover story**

 **Prologue**

 _It's really amazing how quickly things can turn for the worse. The Ko-Matoran were accused of having their heads in the stars, but it was not the stars we were to worry about. The true threat comes from where we least expect. And nowhere is more evil than the Silver Sea._

 _It was five years ago when the first great creature attacked us. A giant scaly beast with scales like Kanohi masks emerged on the shores of Ga-Metru and ravaged the land. Nobody was prepared for such a sudden insurgence. Then, a team of Toa came. Not even the combined might of the Toa could stop these beasts though. It seemed these beasts only fed on our elemental energy._

 _That's where I come in. I am Jaller. A simple tool maker from Ta-Metru was set to make the greatest war machine the universe had ever known. I had no knowledge of building large things, but I worked with all my brethren for the common cause. Called_ Jaegers, _The machines were modeled after a Toa to fit their form, only they were as tall as a Ko-Metru Knowledge Tower. The test runs were a success, and the first of these beasts, whom the archivists dubbed_ Kaiju, _was defeated._

 _Eventually, every race said they had Kaiju problems. Skakdi, Vortixx, Dark Hunters, and Makuta alike all saw Kaiju of different kinds, and we were more than happy to provide custom Jaegers for them. The tables were now turned. Jaegers were defeating Kaiju and the entire universe was in alliance._

 _It was all too good to last…_


	2. Chapter 1

_**BIONIC Rim**_

 **Chapter I**

Jaller stumbled through the deserted streets of Ta-Metru. Five years earlier, the city was the site of the first Kaiju attack. Since the attack, the Jaeger program had been going effectively. The Jaeger belonging to Toa Lhikan, Flaming Fury, dispelled a similar looking Kaiju just recently.

Kaiju had been quick pickings, but the research team had their doubts. A Skakdi researcher named Avak noticed bigger and bigger Kaiju coming from Zakaz. It was not unreasonable to assume the same could not occur in Metru Nui. Jaller went the skeptic route as well. The Kaiju seemed to be TOO easy these days.

Jaller crossed into his foundry when he felt the earth shake. He knew this shake well. It was the exact same sensation he felt at the first Kaiju attack. He had been in a foundry, but he had witnessed most of the battle.

This time, there was an evacuation drill in place. Matoran were to clear the street as the Jaeger walked down the field. In full view stood the giant red Jaeger of Ta-Metru, Violent Volcano. Piloted by the leader of the Toa team, Lhikan, VV was the first Jaeger commissioned and the most capable fighting machine in Metru Nui.

Violent Volcano attacked with a rush of fire from its palms. The dragon returned fire. It unleashed a breath attack. The Jaeger was completely unprepared, and buckled at the knee. It got up, and moved closer to the Kaiju, picking up an entire foundry to use as a projectile. VV smashed the dragon with it, and the dragon backed off.

This only delayed the Kaiju. It unfurled its wings and pounced on top of Vicious Volcano. It fell like a solid protodermis boat.

Jaller sat stunned in silence. Another Jaeger would be called onto the scene to finish the work, but until then, the situation looked grim.

They weren't kidding, Jaller thought. These beasts have gotten stronger.

The Le-Jaeger, Tepid Tornado, finished the job, but Jaller mostly kept inside, cowering in a corner after this incident.


	3. Chapter 2

_**BIONIC RIM**_

 **Chapter 2**

It was five years after the last Kaiju struck. The Kaiju had grown in size so much; Onu-Matoran archivists began classifying them into "Categories" to indicate threat level. Still, no more than one Kaiju ever appeared on one island at any given time.

The Vortixx attempted to build a barrier along their island to keep out Kaiju, but a green plated monster with giant claws bored through in a matter of minutes. It took Xia's largest Jaeger, the two-pilot Bolted Blaster, to take it down. Vortixx had created weapons and armor for Jaegers, but also designed Jaegers so big multiple pilots had to use them. After much deliberation, the technology was traded to other lands.

"Larger Kaiju means more hands are needed," Toa Nidhiki of Metru Nui said in a public address. "And any one of you can be our wing Matoran should you so choose." Approaching his bandstand was the Le-Matoran Vira, formerly of Gukko defense force, now a second on Tepid Tornado 2.0.

* * *

Jaller sat alone in his forge, hands over mask. After Ta-Metru was decimated five years ago, he wanted no part of the Jaeger program. Several buildings were damaged and Matoran everywhere were dying, and there was no way to control the sudden Kaiju growth effect. He felt it best to weather the storm from inside his forge.

Just then, there was a knock at his door. Jaller opened it.

"Lhikan," Jaller shouted in surprise.

"Yes," Lhikan replied. "I have come to you, Jaller, for we need more pilots."

"But…why me? I never wanted to have anything to do with the Kaiju. I have little fighting experience and no claims to my name whatsoever."

"But you are all I have right now," Lhikan answered. "For you saw Flaming Fury go down, and you stood there after I fell. I need someone close to a Jaeger."

He paused. "Plus, we have a model Matoran Jaeger that needs another pilot."

Jaller reluctantly walked with Lhikan to the Chute System. Their destination, Lhikan said, the Coliseum.


	4. Chapter 3

_**BIONIC RIM**_

 **Chapter 3**

Jaller and Lhikan emerged from the chute. Waiting for them was a Toa of Water and a Ga-Matoran wearing a Mask of Water Breathing.

"Jaller," the Toa spoke, "this is Hahli. She is another registered Matoran for the Jaeger program. Tuyet insisted she co-pilot the Ga-Metru Jaeger, Wicked Wave, but I felt it best we test run a Jaeger with another Matoran."

An experienced vet, Jaller thought. Great, now every Matoran's in on it.

"Hello, Hahli," Jaller said politely.

"Yes, greetings," she replied. "It will be nice working with someone of equal stature. The Jaeger can be piloted on even wavelengths. Matoran and Toa mean an uneven amount of energy is focused from the larger being, but two Matoran can balance a Jaeger and move it more fluidly."

"Right. Enough introductions," Lhikan interjected. "Let us show you the interior."

* * *

In the wake of the Jaeger attacks, the Coliseum basement had become Jaeger Central. The Jaeger-building factions (often known as the Big Five, or more popularly BIONIC Rim) all had Jaegers stationed here. As Jaller walked, he saw tall Matoran-built Jaegers, Multi-armed and elaborate Xian Jaegers, A barrel-shaped but strong-armed Dark Hunter Jaeger, a radiant, spiked Skakdi Jaeger, and the personal ride for the Makuta of Metru Nui, Striking Shadow.

The Makuta mostly kept to themselves, so very few were in the Coliseum. The only time another Makuta Jaeger was seen was during a Kaiju attack, but Metru Nui's Makuta had his docked for repairs in the Coliseum from time to time. He even refused the dual pilot option. "My mental capacity is more than sufficient for flying this Jaeger solo," he told everyone…repeatedly.

"It was strange to see the loose cannon Skakdi and former nemeses the Dark Hunters servicing us," Lhikan told the two Matoran. "But I guess when the greatest threat arrives; we must set aside our petty differences and unite against the REAL threat. And that is the Kaiju." Jaller recalled Metru Nui's war with the Dark Hunters, and now, just a few decades later, the two fight side by side. Such was the strange irony and reality of war.

Jaller, Hahli, and Lhikan continued to a side room. In this room, test tubes with green fluid bubbled and strange masses were kept off to the sides. Onu-Matoran surrounded these masses, probing and poking them with strange tools.

"This is the Study Room," Lhikan said finally. "Onu-Metru added an extension to the Archives here specifically to research Kaiju, since so many specimens were retrieved." One archivist poked a large sac, which promptly oozed. "We feel the closer we get to the Kaiju anatomically, the better an understanding we have of exactly WHAT they are." He leaned on the green tube. "This is the brain recovered from the very Kanohi Dragon we fought so long ago. The Dragon seems to be the only Kaiju ever to attack Metru Nui. The others in the BIONIC Rim receive their own special Rahi."

"Do you have specimens of those, too?" Jaller asked.

"All but the Destral Kaiju. A Makuta named Mutran described it to me as a giant Visorak with claws, but he couldn't catch it with his Jaeger."

Two more figures ran into the Study Room. One was an Onu-Matoran clad in an orange Pakari, the other a brown Skakdi with what appeared to be downward facing horns.

"These are two of our most esteemed scientists. Our very own Nuparu and Avak from Zakaz. They know the Kaiju better than any being on the planet."

"We are on the verge of a breakthrough, Toa," Nuparu stated. "We feel we can learn all about the Kaiju and their motives if we just run a brain scan. This way, we can determine what the Kaiju are, where they come from, and why only specific Kaiju attack assigned islands."

"Oh, quiet with that Nuparu," Avak spat at him. "Nobody has that kind of technology."

"Which is why I am developing it."

Lhikan stifled a laugh. "Those two," he said slightly to himself. "Oh well, let us introduce you to your ride."

* * *

Down one last corridor, Lhikan opened the double doors and showed a Jaeger. It was taller than the Dark Hunter Jaeger, but shorter than most of the contemporary Metru Nui models. It was dichromatic, split horizontally into two colors. One side was schemed orange and red, to resemble Flaming Fury. The other half was deep blue and aqua green, not unlike Hahli's own Jaeger, Wicked Wave.

"Jaller and Hahli, meet the first Jaeger ever designed specifically for Matoran Pilots. Introducing…Searing Tsunami!"


	5. Chapter 4

_**BIONIC Rim**_

 **Chapter 4**

The next day, all five factions gathered in the Mess Hall for a special discussion. Jaller stood with Nidhiki and his wingman Vira, the most accomplished pilots Metru Nui had to offer. Feeling a bit awkward in the presence of these national heroes Jaller attempted to start a conversation.

"Some spread, huh?" Jaller asked Vira.

"What do you mean by that, fire-spitter?" Vira replied.

"I mean, it seems strange that we, mere microorganisms against giant Rahi. It seems we should have lost eons ago, but we stand here now."

"It is quite a feat," Toa Nidhiki chimed in. "And to think, Turaga Dume has suggested canning the Jaeger program."

"What? Why? I haven't even gotten into the cockpit yet."

"Dume has taken the damage costs of the last few Kaiju attacks into account, and says the Jaegers are too destructive in their own right to fight Kaiju."

"But you saw the Xian Wall. What other options do we have?"

"Exactly, none," Vira answered. "I want to pilot a Jaeger so I can service my nation. It does me proud to know a Matoran can contribute to our greatest national security issue now."

The crowd silenced as leaders from the five factions took the floor. Lhikan addressed the crowd.

"Greetings," he began. "The forecast indicates an incoming Kaiju attack. Yesterday, Zakaz was hit with its own Kaiju problem. A Category 4 Parakrekks attacked Zakaz. It took the combined might of Crushing Blow and Nektann's personal Jaeger to down it. We need better trained pilots to conquer Kaiju this big. Those of you who have piloted before know of the intense physical and psychological strain Jaegers can bring you. We have devised a training exercise for newcomers, though. Off to the stands, and do us proud!"

There was a resounding cheer. Jaller just held himself and stayed away.

 _Those darn Jaegers. How am I going to manage Searing Tsunami? One mind is bad enough, but TWO at once…_

* * *

The exercise in question was melee combat. Devised by the Vortixx and introduced by their ambassador Roodaka, The concept was to disarm or disable one's opponent with an elongated staff. This combination of physical prowess and mental stability was meant to simulate driving a Jaeger under high stakes.

Jaller watched as his co-pilot held her own very well against seasoned veterans. Not one person seemed able to lay a touch on her. During a confrontation with a large, red Skakdi, the Skakdi attacked viciously, but Halhi thrust his attacks away as if batting a fireflyer from her mask. The beast could not even come close.

"3-0 that's the match." The Makuta was officiating the event. "Has anyone not had a turn?"

Jaller mostly stared at the floor. He looked up for just a split second, and then saw the Mask of Shadows gazing right at him.

"Your turn, Ta-Matoran." Makuta shoved Jaller into the ring as a Dark Hunter handed him his pole.

"Remember," Hahli said, "I really like you as a co-pilot and I don't want to humiliate you too much, so I'll give you this one tip. The key is poise."

Poise, yes, Jaller thought. He just had to keep his footing and pay attention to his opponents moves.

Before he could do anything, Hahli struck first. "1-0," Makuta shouted.

That was disastrous, Jaller whispered under his breath. He regained his footing and stood with the pole. This time, he deflected Halhi's first two thrusts and went for a dig at Hahli's chestplate.

"1-1"

This was it. He had done it. Just two more. He raised his staff horizontally above his head and parried one attack before Hahli slapped his mask.

"2-1"

Shoot. Jaller lifted his staff. Halhi retaliated. They struck each other without making much progress. Hahli took two steps back and Jaller went for a strike. Hahli was ready, though, and swung her staff nearly disarming Jaller. Jaller clutched his staff tight and went for a second dig.

"2-2"

Jaller gasped. Holding his own against the top Matoran pilot seemed impossible. And yet, here he was, holding his own against the top Matoran pilot. He felt his confidence soar as he shot down another attack by Hahli. Then another and then one last attack. He noticed Hahli pull away her attack one last time, before he took an opportunity attack. He jabbed at her forearm and the staff flew across the room, striking a Dark Hunter.

"Wow," a stunned Makuta shouted. "This was…unexpected."

Hahli rose to Jaller and touched fists with him. "You're a natural, Jaller."

"You really think so. I was just trying to stay in the fight."

"Yes, and you're will to stay in was enough to give you your goal. You'll be a fine Jaeger pilot."

If Matoran could blush, that is what Jaller would have done.

* * *

Nuparu wired his homemade headset into the test tube with thirty feet of Protodermis cable. He and Avak worked all night trying to build a mechanism for tapping into the Kaiju brain. Well, mostly just Nuparu. Avak spent the time shouting at Nuparu calling him "delusional" and "foolhardy." Nuparu was used to this name-calling. When you've built something as disastrous as the Krahli, you will get called many names.

Avak stood by. "You're taking this too far. Even if you could read the brain, what would you find there other than 'I want food?' There is nothing there worth reading, I tell you."

"That's what they all said," Nuparu replied. "Which is exactly why I intend to prove you and every other archivist wrong."

With that, he donned the headset and began to analyze the brain signals he received. The experience of receiving multiple brainwaves at once was horrible. Nuparu saw before him bright flashes of magenta and blue, combined with a splitting headache. The Kaiju clearly operated on stronger neural functions than any Matoran. After the initial shock of having their brains fused faded, Nuparu finally saw images through his pain. He never could have imagined the complexity or destructive potential of this vision.

The Kaiju, more specifically this Kanohi Dragon, had brain waves dating back thousands of years, almost to the dawn of the universe. They remain repressed for long intervals at a time, but when it was time for new races to take command of the universe, the Kaiju emerge and cleanse the universe, allowing the creation of new beings.

Only once before had this event happened. At the creation of the Universe, before the Matoran first arrived, the Kaiju had cleared the way. But since there was no resistance, the mission went undeterred. Now, though, civilization had emerged. And it was fighting back!

* * *

"…Very interesting."

An archivist named Tehutti had heard Nuparu's account of his mind meld. "I never thought to consider this the natural order. It's really quite tragic to think the Kaiju have no choice but to destroy, and we just have no other option but to confront them."

"I know. But we aren't ready to give up as a species yet," insisted Nuparu. "But I think I need another brain scan to see if they have any other tricks."

"We have no more brains, but I do know someone who can grant you one. An Onu-Matoran named Mavrah owns a facility at the mouth of Onu-Metru specializing in Kaiju organs."

"Then I guess we have a trip to my homeland, Avak," Nuparu suggested. "Let's go!"


	6. Chapter 5

_**BIONIC Rim**_

 **Chapter 5**

Jaller and Hahli met at Searing Tsunami the next day. Lhikan was at the front of the Jaeger to send them off.

"Remember, this is just a trial run," Lhikan assured as he opened the cockpit. "You will be doing nothing at the front. Just become acclimated to the different landscape within the Jaeger. Since this is your first time, Jaller, we've even lowered usual frequencies."

"And above all else, RELAX!" Hahli asserted.

Even after their little game, Jaller still had no idea how to psychologically prepare for this event. Not only would he be controlling a robot the size of a tower with his brain, but he would be bouncing brain functions off another living being. If their brain waves collided, it could rupture both their minds. Jaller breathed in and spoke to himself. It's just a trial run, I can do this.

The systems powered and Searing Tsunami went online. Nidhiki, Roodaka and Nektann sat in the control panel, instructing the two Matoran. "Alright," Nektann's voice blared through the communicator, "we just want you to find a happy place for now. Focus on getting the Jaeger to move. We do the rest later."

"Get the Jaeger to move," Jaller repeated. He tried remaining calm, but inside his mind, it was anything but. He saw all his fears, all his deepest insecurities racing back at him. He was overcome by great emotion and dread. It was as if the Jaeger was specifically meant to control his negative emotions. He felt his knees buckle and he collapsed.

As he fell, he heard Hahli shouting at him. "It's okay. You're not in any danger. Just stay calm."

Jaller was beyond help. The imagery exploded within him, and his body convulsed. Outside, the grid glowed as Searing Tsunami's flamethrower function began to power up.

"He's overpowering," alerted Roodaka. "Shut everything down, quick." The entire floor rushed to disconnect. Jaller felt the heat inside the cockpit rising, but eventually it cooled down.

He walked out feeling dejected. "I am very disappointed in you Jaller," said Lhikan sullenly. "You seemed like the next best hope for a Matoran pilot, but we just could not control your impulses."

He walked away into the hall, but Hahli never left him. "That was rough," she piped up finally. "Don't worry. It took me a little while to get used to the emotional strain of piloting a Jaeger too. But once you try the emotional rush more, you'll love it."

"Yeah, whatever," Jaller retorted. He asked the question, "How easy did you take it on me during the pole fighting."

She paused, as if to reflect on this long event. After a moment, she replied, "I knew you were a rookie, so I went a bit easy. But I did NOT throw the match. That was all you."

Jaller stood stunned. Maybe he did have more control than he thought. If he could defeat the best Matoran pilot in the academy (well, maybe that honor goes to Vira, but she was close), then maybe he could pilot a Jaeger after all.

* * *

"Now be careful walking in," Nuparu cautioned Avak. "Skakdi aren't exactly welcome guests here. I really like you, but please don't draw attention to yourself."

They stood at an outpost on the edge of Onu-Metru and Po-Metru. There were vendors from both Metru present, all of whom exploited Kaiju parts. There was a Po-Matoran selling Kaiju kabob, another who marketed a skull, saying he fished it from the water, and several Matoran had even built their shacks from the bones of the Kaiju. Nuparu and Avak stood in front of one such building, with engravings across the bones.

"Mavrah Sector," Avak read aloud. "Looks promising enough."

They entered a bustling foyer quite similar to the Research Room at the Coliseum. This time though, the archivists were focused mostly on extraction. Peeling off parasites and drawing needles into various body parts made Nuparu sick. None of these Matoran looked like a Mavrah though. He thought he would ask where the store owner was.

"Um," Nuparu began coyly. "We're looking for a Mavrah."

"Mavrah is not merely available by request. He's in his quarters and does not like any disturbance," replied an archivist in a black Kakama.

"Yes, but you see, I need to continue my studies on the Kaiju and we only had one brain."

Brain? Was he mad enough to attempt a brain scan, something archivists were told never to attempt? The archivist ran a scan. He noticed Nuparu's bloodshot eye and trembling hands. "You did it," he gasped in surprise. "Right away sir."

He ran down the hall shouting. Moments later, a Matoran with eye covering and a purple Pakari emerged from the dark corridor. Nuparu heard the _click, click_ of golden boots on the floor as the Matoran walked.

"Brains, huh. Quite the dangerous maneuver, but seeing as you are still alive, you are possibly the greatest hope we have now," the Matoran spoke darkly and menacingly. "I can help, for I…am Mavrah, head of the Kaiju Black Market."


	7. Chapter 6

_**BIONIC Rim**_

 **Chapter 6**

Jaller roamed the halls in solitude. After the Searing Tsunami Debacle, Lhikan asked neither him nor Hahli to pilot a Jaeger. Yes, there were still Kaiju attacks, huge ones, but none the two Matoran were called for.

It was probably for the best, though. Up until this point, Kaiju had rarely gone past Category 3. Now, there were Categories 3 and 4 roaming the entire Silver Sea. The most recent was a Tarakava Nui near Odina. A Dark Hunter named Spinner and another named Lariska, who was essentially the Dark Hunters' equivalent of Hahli, took the prize for the killing.

Jaller felt depressed. These Matoran had trained a good deal of their lives to pilot a Jaeger. The dreadful waterfall of emotions was second nature to them. But why call a first-timer like him? Were there really no better options? Jaller questioned all these things.

He passed the Skakdi leader, Nektann, and decided to address him. "Sir Nektann, the Skakdi have a history of being short-tempered. And yet any experienced Jaeger pilot will tell you great control is needed to pilot a Jaeger. How do you do it?"

"The answer is long and complicated," Nektann began. "We never had any intention of joining BIONIC Rim, but Kaiju began to attack our island and we needed to retaliate. I was the one who got the technology from Xia and held instructional courses on controlling your temper. Very few Skakdi followed in my footsteps, but the ones that did survived. They just had to be willing enough to try and pilot the Jaeger."

 _Just had to be willing enough,_ those words echoed in Jaller's mind. Did he want to pilot the Jaeger enough? He certainly wanted to accomplish something. He wanted to emerge from the forge and do his assignments. If that meant defeating a Kaiju, then yes, he was willing enough.

He went directly to Toa Lhikan's chambers. "I want to try again," he announced boldly at the BIONIC Rim's overseer.

Lhikan looked down at Jaller, "We're sorry. There is no market for a Matoran Jaeger at the moment. The BIONIC Rim has already planned its next order of deployment, and Searing Tsunami is not on the list."

"But I can do it," Jaller assured. "I am willing enough to control my emotions and experience the barrage."

"Great sentiment, but I've worked with about a thousand pilots of various races, and every one of them said the exact same thing. Only a few meant it."

"But I know what went wrong, I CAN do it!" Jaller tapped Lhikan's shoulder to get his attention.

"I have just two rules of conduct," Lhikan replied sternly. "Number one: Don't touch me again, and Number Two: DON'T TOUCH ME AGAIN!"

He stormed from the room, leaving behind a flustered and disappointed Jaller.

* * *

"What type of operation do you run here, exactly?" Nuparu asked sheepishly. Mavrah and the two scientists walked to Mavrah's chambers, where Mavrah's coworkers said he kept a living brain.

"This is the medical profession. Every piece of the Kaiju has some purpose. Bones are a stimulant, fertilizer, and enhanced strength elixir. Blood realizes elemental energies and polishes armor. Parasites are being treated to cure illness. The list of uses goes on and on."

"I get that," interjected Avak. "But why are you the one to operate this?"

"I love the Kaiju," responded Mavrah. "Such magnificent beasts they are. To think they survived this long without any detection. I want to learn more. I have my archivists travel the universe taking dead samples from the best Jaeger pilots in BIONIC Rim, and we examine them here. The best way to honor a dead beast is to put its body to use, and this is why I dealt in the Black Market."

He opened the doors to his room. A crimson throne behind a crescent desk dominated the cramped quarters illuminated only by a greenish glow. Nuparu turned and saw the source of the glow was a brain jar, nearly identical to the one he himself had used not one day ago.

"Yes, thank you. It's just what I need," shouted Nuparu. He lunged for the brain but Mavrah held out an arm.

"No, stop!" Avak stormed to Nuparu's defense. "You see, he scanned the brain already. But he needs another. As crazy as it sounds, he was able to bind with the creature and we did get information.

Mavrah gasped and stepped back. "YOU DIDN'T!"

Nuparu wilted. "Yes, I scanned the brain of a Kanohi Dragon."

Mavrah got angry and flew into a tirade. "Scanning a brain is the worst thing anyone can do. The Kaiju know when their systems have been tampered with."

"Well, have you tried it?" Nuparu asked.

Mavrah removed his eye covering to reveal a startling sight. His left eye was bloodshot, like Nuparu's, to the point where nearly the entire eye was red. The right eye was covered with an unsettling black film, obscuring the iris entirely.

"Once," Mavrah answered. "Same way you must have."

"What did you see?"

"I saw the Kaiju plans to take over, and also their shared bio-functions. They can recognize the brain waves of their species. If you read the brain, you are now a target."

A distant alarm blared. Nuparu knew the sound well. It was the alert of a Kaiju attack. A moment later, the ground shook.

"Yep. Another Kanohi Dragon," Mavrah at last announced. "I have to thank you, Nuparu. You are just what we needed. With your melding to one of its species, you lured the beast right here."


	8. Chapter 7

_**BIONIC Rim**_

 **Chapter 7**

"It has begun," Roodaka shouted through the Coliseum. "Between Onu-Metru and Ko-Metru, there has been a Kanohi Dragon sighted."

"Size estimate?" Lhikan asked the Archives.

Tehutti paused for a long time, before stuttering, "C-C-Category 4, Toa."

"Alright then, all hands on deck!" Lhikan ordered.

Three Jaegers went for the great beast. The first was Tepid Tornado, with Nidhiki and Vira jumping at the first opportunity to fight in ages. Second was the impressive Saber Spinner, a Xian model capable of splitting its two arms into four and twirling daggers in a propeller motion. The last one deployed was Torrent Tank, a box-shaped Jaeger piloted by two Dark Hunters known as "Guardian" and "Seeker".

The Jaegers were placed on hydraulic lifts and launched out the Coliseum to coordinates given. When they got to Ko-Metru, the Kaiju had already made landfall. Tepid Tornado took the front with a blast of air. The dragon shook it off, and lunged forth. Nidhiki's martial arts training proved rather beneficial at this moment. He deployed the built-in Sword Function and slashed at the Kaiju.

The Kanohi Dragon backed down, clearly not expecting such a fight. Blasts from the twin cannons of Torrent Tank diverted its attention toward the Dark Hunter Jaeger. Though the blasts from Guardian and Seeker clearly weakened the Kaiju, the Kanohi Dragon sent the boxy robot tumbling. It landed on top of a chute and a power generator. There was a brief spark, and everywhere from Ta-Metru to Ko-Metru suddenly went black.

* * *

"What the Karzahni happened?" Lhikan shouted furiously.

"That dragon's breath destroyed our power grid," Roodaka confirmed.

"Screw that," Lhikan flew into a fury. "I'll do whatever it takes to knock out that Kaiju!"

He smashed buttons furiously and even ripped a cable just to reattach it, but nothing worked. Not even Lhikan's Elemental Energy was sufficient to get the power back on.

"It's worse than that," the Makuta called from the generator room. "That dragon's breath knocked out the entire grid. The Western half is completely blacked out."

Lhikan still jiggled his controller, hoping it would do something. "I won't rest until that Kaiju is turned into a puddle on the streets of Metru Nui!"

He turned around and noticed Hahli standing behind him, staring nonchalantly.

"Um, Toa Lhikan," Hahli began. "It occurred to me that Searing Tsunami runs on lower frequency and a different grid than the other Jaegers, since it was a prototype model. Perhaps we could try it out."

Lhikan uttered a hearty chuckle. "Foolish Matoran. A Category 2 and I might consider. But this Kaiju is easily one of the twelve largest in history. No way could a Matoran pilot hope to take it on."

"Maybe not…" shouted a familiar voice from across the room, "but there's two who want to." Jaller bounced to Halhi's side.

Lhikan glowered at them both. He hesitated for what seemed like ages, before finally saying, "fair enough. Man your battle stations!"

The two Matoran did not even need to be strapped in. They did so themselves.

"Now you know what to expect right?" Hahli cautioned.

"Yes," Jaller responded with a hint of nervousness. "I am willing enough to give this a try."

Searing Tsunami kick-started using its internal drive and launched itself to the Kaiju.

* * *

Nuparu stood inside a well-armed bunker. Mavrah had sent all his Matoran into a special location beneath his shop to wait out the attack. Inside the bunker, the Matoran formed a circle around Nuparu and linked arms to keep him from breaking it.

Very odd, Nuparu thought to himself.

Then he heard the distinct rumble of Kanohi Dragon footsteps and the beating of large, leathery wings. Suddenly, the entire facility shook. The bunker rocked from side to side three more times. Then at last, the hull gave way, revealing the scaly snout of the dragon.

Nuparu finally realized what Mavrah was doing to him. "It was a front," Nuparu shouted. "He's not protecting us, he's feeding us! And I am the unwitting bait. My brain waves were its Mahi whistle. But if I must be eaten, it shall be so."

The Onu-Matoran dealers were running in panic, but Nuparu motioned to the snout. He reached out to touch it, but the Kanohi Dragon was suddenly knocked away by a repulsion blast. Nuparu looked up and saw a wonderful site. The twelve bio dichromatic Jaeger stood triumphantly above the Ko-Metru skyline.


	9. Chapter 8

_**BIONIC Rim**_

 **Chapter 8**

Kaiju do not normally express emotion. They do not ask themselves "why do I kill?" They merely go along with the instinct that they must kill. Kaiju are unthinking creatures. To them, a Matoran has no more value than a Nui-Rama at their feet. They eat Matoran because they are programmed to do so, and anything that stands in their way is a minor disturbance.

But this repulsion blast knocked some sense into this particular Kanohi Dragon. She was only in the vicinity to look for food and build a nest, for she was pregnant with a large egg. Already irritable from the stress of carrying such a heavy burden, she charged furiously at her strange attacker.

The dragon had never seen such a structure before. Very much like her prey in body design, yet completely different colors on either side. This was not her usual target, but maybe, just maybe, she could walk away with a decent meal. As she lunged, she butt her head into the glowing center of the giant, which tumbled backwards. It kneeled and charged a second blast. This time, though, the dragon noticed and whipped her tail, redirecting the blast into a large monolithic structure nearby.

The aggressor lifted an arm and rushed at the Kaiju, who opened her mouth and bit the forearm. The giant being pounded its fist angrily against the back of the beast, but the Kanohi Dragon's thick skin meant those blows had little effect. She tried biting its head, realized it was too big to eat, and rammed her right side against the great creature. As the colossus fell backwards into another great structure, the beast roared in its victory.

She could only enjoy this victory for a few seconds, however. No sooner had she turned her head when she saw the terrifying site of a mammoth robot towing a pointed verticle structure. It raised the structure with the clear intent of impaling the Kaiju. The dragon shrieked and whipped her tail one more time. The structure dug into her hide, leaving a slight gash, but she was able to repel enough of the attack to suffer minimal damage.

Once more, the Kanohi Dragon tackled the hulking mass. Once she had finally downed the being and knocked over several more structures, she gripped it in her claws, spread her wings, and ascended to the heavens.

* * *

Jaller was surprised. The dragon seemed to be lifting Searing Tsunami into the sky with the intention of dashing it on the cold ice below. This had never been seen in the history of the conflict with the Kaiju. Jaller nearly panicked, but said to his copilot, "what do we do now? This was not in training."

"Thankfully, there is a function I can use to attack this Kaiju," Hahli stated boldly.

Right as she said this, a function Jaller had no idea of erupted from Searing Tsunami's blue arm. It was a katana, not unlike a standard Toa Tool. Those Vortixx think of everything, Jaller screamed in his mind what he could not say aloud.

Hahli slashed with expert precision into the dragon's stomach. She hit exactly the point needed to penetrate the thick skin of the Kaiju. It cut the skin like a hot Kanoka through a wall. Suddenly, dragon in tow, they began their massive freefall. Jaller estimated they must be at least one kio above Ko-Metru.

"What do we do? I didn't train for this!" Hahli screamed into the communication system.

"I don't have any protocol," responded the faint voice of Toa Lhikan. "There are no rockets or anything. Just try not to overheat and don't land headfirst."

"Thanks, I guess," responded Jaller hesitantly.

"I have no idea how to turn the Jaeger around." Hahli sounded uncharacteristically nervous. "I'm scared."

"It's okay," Jaller assured. "Let's just try to keep our emotions from running wild. If we can just tilt the Jaeger ever so slightly, it will land fine."

"Danger zone. Forty bio until impact," Roodaka, who surveyed the operation, warned.

Together, Jaller and Hahli redirected their fall slowly. Jaller could feel the temperature inside the cockpit rising and saw red streaks outside the glass.

"Slow down!" He shouted.

"Easier said than done," Hahli screamed back.

Searing Tsunami did three aerial somersaults and landed shakily on the ground, feet first. As it landed, it buckled to its knees. It took Jaller extending the red hand to keep it from falling flat. The result of the fall was a giant crater and a bioquake that could have been felt all the way in Le-Metru. Below the Jaeger was the shattered husk of a Kanohi Dragon. It was not glamorous, but a Matoran dual-pilot Jaeger had successfully defeated a Category 4 Kaiju. The resounding applause from the other restored Jaegers was deafening over the communication link.

"You did it!" Jaller heard Nidhiki say. "Brilliant job."


	10. Chapter 9

_**BIONIC Rim**_

 **Chapter 9**

"I guess we really did it," Jaller announced back at the Coliseum. The whole of BIONIC Rim was still in an uproar after the glorious victory.

"Congratulations," commended Vira, walking directly over. "First confirmed kill for you guys. Not even Nidhiki and I could score a kill in my first outing with him."

Hahli tried to cover her mask with her hands.

"No need to hide, Hahli, you're a national hero. Also, you are a perfect Jaeger pilot. You did what no Matoran have accomplished."

"I'm not perfect okay," Hahli exclaimed tearfully at Jaller. "I just have three years of training and rode with Tuyet for several years, so I know some of the basic tricks. Vira is so much better than me."

"Well, Vira doesn't think so," Jaller observed.

"And don't discredit yourself, Jaller! You were the one who melded with my mental functions. You kept us both from losing it."

Jaller widened his eyes and backed way slightly. Toa Nidhiki walked over then, and repeated the notion Hahli made.

"You two have the best chemistry-work of any two pilots ever. I could have never imagined a fire-spitter with no think-training and a Ga-Matoran who had-held everything could make Searing Tsunami big-mighty."

"It was nothing really…" Jaller began.

"Nonsense," Nidhiki interrupted. "The Kaiju in Karzahni don't stand a chance."

Jaller gulped. Karzahni, really? Only their second outing and they were to wipe out the Kaiju at the source. Had Lhikan gone too far? Possibly, but Jaller was determined not to disappoint.

* * *

Lhikan had called the entire BIONIC Rim into the Coliseum the next morning. He was intent on announcing a plan for attack and motivating the Jaeger pilots for the biggest event of their lives.

"Hello, pilots. We are gathered here to attack based on information our Onu-Matoran researchers gave us recently. A portal of darkness is open within the realm of Karzahni, and the Kaiju are drawn out seemingly led by the greatest Kaiju of all. The Destral Kaiju only sighted once, the Zivon. Our Makuta said his brother in that realm has a Jaeger of his own stationed to aid us in our journey, though he will be attending as well. We will be using only dual Jaegers for this mission as two minds working together are better than one. I even modified Flaming Fury for my own brother Nidhiki to serve by my side in our finest hour. Our best, most capable pilots were selected for this mission, because I feel we can win this.

"We never felt we could even come this far, to go from running in fear to knocking at their very door seemed a daunting task. But in the face of a greater evil, former enemies banded together and served as each other's allies, complimenting on our weak areas and battling as one. We served the Great Spirit and his Three Virtues well."

As Lhikan said this, a banner containing the familiar symbol of these virtues descended in the background.

"To come together in animosity but turn into allies due to necessity followed the teachings of UNITY. Together in this UNITY, we were able to service our DUTY of holding back the Kaiju as long as we possibly could, ultimately pushing them to their last stand. And through this DUTY, we realize our DESTINY of closing the portal and realizing our goal. Through the three virtues, TODAY WE ARE CANCELLING THE APOCALYPSE!" Lhikan raised his fist in pride.

"UNITY, DUTY, DESTINY!" The crowd chanted in response. Jaller raised his hand too, suddenly proud to be a part of this greatest of wholes.

Deployment began immediately after this rousing speech. First to deploy was the Makuta, still disobeying orders and flying with no copilot. "I told you, My mental capacity is more than sufficient for flying this Jaeger solo," was his only reply when pulled aside for comment.

Second came two Xian Jaegers. One was Spinning Saber, the other was Colossus Cannon, piloted by Roodaka and her manservant. She was saving this one only for a Category 5, but it seemed wise as there would most likely be several. Jaller always felt Roodaka was gunning for a fight, but never knew how.

Third came the Skakdi. Four Skakdi Jaegers emerged, including Nektann's personal, which towered over the moderately-sized Zakaz fleet. Nektann's personal Jaeger, now housing someone named Reidak as well, was called Electric Sword and certainly looked it.

The Matoran deployed next. Metru Nui had by far the largest fleet with twelve Jaegers. There was one per Metru and six other specialized Jaegers, including Searing Tsunami. Jaller saw on his radar Flaming Fury took the lead. Vira took control of Tepid Tornado with a rookie named Matau, who was just slightly more serious about the war than Jaller had been. For this reason, they brought up the rear. Also deployed was Wicked Wave 2.0. with the two Water Toa named Tuyet and Naho piloting, the four legged Onu-Jaeger, Burrowing Bane, and the double ice Jaegers called Freezing Foe and Snow Specter.

Last came the Dark Hunters. Though several Kaiju were stored on Odina, only the three best were selected by the Shadowed One for this special mission. Lariska of course took the lead with Spinning Sands. The hulk simply known as Giant Gladiator followed suit. Staying in the background with his Jaeger, Searing Shadow, piloted by the Dark Hunter leader and his cronie called simply "Darkness" sat behind keeping all other Jaegers in line.

Together, the motley crew of warriors descended into the grotesque wasteland of Karzahni, somewhere even the Makuta of Metru Nui feared.

* * *

"See anything?" asked the Kakama-clad worker. Two Onu-Matoran had been tasked to extract a brain from the slain Kanohi Dragon. Any other intact organs would go straight to Mavrah for his business.

"Nope, just lots of nothing," replied his companion, a fellow archivist named Onepu. They were centered near the hip region, where a clump of nerves acted as a second brain for the massive Kaiju. "I think this might suffice," Onepu said in his microphone to Nuparu outside the beast.

Suddenly, there was a rustling from inside. "You heard that?" Kakama Matoran asked. "I think it may have been pregnant, but even for a Kanohi Dragon, gestation is never this brief."

As if on cue, a Kanohi Dragon no more than one bio long erupted from a wall of flesh. Panicking, the two Matoran raced out the hole they tore, with the creature keeping pace well.

Outside, Mavrah gazed on the discovery in awe. A juvenile Dragon, the likes of which had not been seen in the Archives yet, had just emerged. It was known Kaiju had to come to land to breed, but offspring retreated to the ocean shortly after birth, so very few were actually sighted and none had been captured. This one still was attached to its egg chord, so its motions were limited. Perfect, Mavrah thought, the perfect new specimen. Maybe it could give details to the whereabouts of the Holy Grail of Kaiju hunting, the elusive Zivon.

Mavrah extended his arms and stood before the beast. "Come to papa," he yelled. The Kaiju paid no heed to his announcement and lunged for the Matoran, swallowing him whole. As the beast reared back its head, it gagged a bit, and spat out one of Mavrah's studded boots. It continued its charge towards a frozen Nuparu. Before it could reach him, the egg chord wrapped around the creature's neck. It still continued its advance, but eventually strangled itself on this disability and fell dead on the slippery ground.

* * *

Nuparu observed the carcass in detail. "It's a bit risky, but we do have a brain. And I could try to read the brain of this Kaiju. Even a juvenile should have some mind link and tell us more of what the attack on Karzahni is headed for."He wired up his helmet attaching it to the Kaiju. He was about to place it on his head, when Avak jumped in front and stopped him.

"No," Avak shouted as he showed his own helmet to Nuparu. "If we do this, we shall do it as one. Let's go!"

And they began in unison.


	11. Chapter 10

_**BIONIC Rim**_

 **Chapter 10**

Every Jaeger was armed with a deadly failsafe. The self-destruct button was located in a special section of the cockpit, where the pilot could see it, but was just out of reach while drifting the robot. Pilots were instructed only to use it when the Jaeger had sustained damage beyond practical repair. Jaller had been told this may be the only solution to the Kaiju problem.

As the largest gathering of Jaegers ever assembled marched through the Matoran underworld, Jaller and Halhi both felt the heat rise within Searing Tsunami. An Ice Bat-winged Jaeger stood at the forefront of the portal area. The fleet had been told Makuta's brother in this realm would be of service to them. He had fought Kaiju before, but needed a full fleet to destroy the portal. At their meeting with him, the fleet launched themselves at the black hole, where they were greeted by hundreds of Kaiju.

* * *

"All Jaegers online," The communication had been taken over by a Ga-Matoran named Macku. With all the leaders absent, the lower decks had to give orders for the mission. "You know the drill. Attack the Kaiju, fire all energies into the portal, and leave on your merry way." It sounded so easy. Too bad it was not.

Nuparu stormed into the room as fast as he could. He and Avak had almost killed themselves during this last scan, as the information came so fast it could have overloaded their brains. But this revelation was stunning. If Nuparu could redirect the mission based on this, it could save the lives of thousands.

He shoved the Ga-Matoran administrator aside furiously. "Stop!" Nuparu screamed into the microphone. "You're headed for your deaths! The Kaiju are too strong now. You don't stand a chance."

"Why are you shouting this, Nuparu? We had a plan, we cannot redirect."

"You don't understand." Nuparu's brown companion entered the conversation in Nuparu's defense. "The Kaiju planned for this just as you planned for them. The Zivon will be directly in front of you and wipe all of you out quickly. Your only hope now is to close the portal with one of the Jaegers. Someone has to go down with the ship."

"Stop shouting such nonsense. The brain scan was brilliant enough to direct us to them," Lhikan retorted.

"Exactly, they baited you!"

"Nonsense. That was just your—hold on. What is that thing? It's radiating energy from its stinger. What is this? I need a Category estimate. Anyone?"

"Category 5, Toa," Nuparu said in a dead tone of voice. His eyes widened to the size of the Great Temple. "You are looking right at the Zivon, the King of Kaiju."

* * *

 _The King of Kaiju._ Jaller could not believe what he heard or saw. The Destral Kaiju, who had only been encountered once, stood before all the Kaiju, dwarfing even the Tahtorak. A giant spinner on its back whirred ferociously. Had it opened the portal? This seemed logical. Jaller could only watch as the Zivon sent spinners at the other Jaegers, knocking them out one by one. Jaller wanted to redirect, but he and Hahli were too preoccupied with the Tahtorak pinning them to the rocky ground. Hahli launched the Energy Cannon, felling the beast, but there were still dozens more in Categories 3 and 4 to tackle.

"To sack the Zivon, someone else is going to have to make a sacrifice," Nuparu instructed. "I'm sorry, I can't think of any other way."

Nektann took a hit of the Zivon's spinners. "Man down, Man down," Jaller heard faintly through the intercom. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Flaming Fury on the HUD approaching the Zivon. Its Flame Sword glowed in the darkness of Karzahni, slashing through all the lesser beasts.

"No," Vira's cry sounded in all communicators. "Don't leave us, Nidhiki. You have so much to live for."

"No, no," Nidhiki consoled the Matoran. "You were a good wingman, but Lhikan and I have one mission: To serve the greater good. And the greatest good we can serve right now is by destroying the Zivon."

"Take care of the Matoran for me, Jaller," Lhikan whispered into his microphone. Then Flaming Fury was picked up by the Zivon, who held Spinning Saber in another claw. Flaming Fury slashed, but simultaneously began to glow a golden hue. Seconds later, Flaming Fury became a burst of color, flowing bright gold across the whole pit, bathing everything in light.

Once the display had ended, Spinning Saber stood alone, but all that was left of where the Zivon stood was a pile of smoldering ash. The Kaiju, now leaderless, scattered, making them easy pickings. Without Zivon to coordinate the attack, they had no idea how to confront the heavily armed, strategized Jaegers.

"Zivon is gone," Nuparu acknowledged in disbelief. "But one must still go in and blow up the portal."

Jaller studied the wreck. Toa Lhikan, his idol and mentor, had just given his life to save an entire universe. He had pulled the ultimate sacrifice. And his last words to Jaller: Take care of the Matoran. If Jaller were to do that, his life was the greatest thing he could do to take care of not just Matoran, but ALL BIONIC Rim races. Skakdi, Vortixx, Makuta, Dark Hunters, and Matoran, needed him to follow through with the mission equally at this point. He knew what he had to do to live up to Lhikan's orders.

"We'll do it," Jaller said boldly. Hahli trembled in her post, but Jaller motioned to her. "Come on, don't be afraid. You were the one who boosted my confidence and got all of us this far. It was a pleasure serving with you, now I'm going to save the universe with you."Hahli nodded, but still shook in her position.

Searing Tsunami charged into the void and tripped over the mouth, falling headlong into the bottomless pit. As Jaller fell, he beheld a wondrous sight. The bright aura of Karzahni illuminated the Zone of Darkness enough to see Kaiju of all shapes and categories flying around him. There were the usual suspects, of course, but also strange Kaiju with multiple eyes, tentacles, and resembled no Rahi ever before seen. Jaller stared with wonder, but remembered he had a mission, so he bashed the self-destruct button at the center of his freefall.

"Self-destruct sequence in sixty seconds," the AI alerted.

Hahli immediately rushed to the ejector seat. "You coming, Jaller?" She asked timidly.

"Yeah, yeah, I'll make it." Jaller tried to leave, but the hold was on too tight. "It's always something," Jaller said in frustration as he ripped furiously at the strap.

"Forty-five seconds."

"Just go, I'll be fine!"

"Okay," sobbed Hahli. She took off without so much as a look back and rocketed towards the surface. When she finally did look down, she saw a mushroom cloud of burning orange and a rapidly shrinking black hole.

* * *

The black escape pod emerged in the Silver Sea just off the coast of Metru Nui. The door slid open, and Hahli crawled out, tired and dejected.

"Alright, you made it," called Nuparu from his set. As he said this, dozens of pods belonging to the other survivors popped from the Protodermis, revealing many pilots just happy to have survived. She saw Vira, Both Makuta, Lariska, Roodaka, Tuyet, and even the elusive Shadowed One survived, but still no sign of her copilot. Many a great leader was lost, but the Kaiju threat was gone. And it seemed unlikely it would come back for the foreseeable future.

"Wh-Where's Jaller?" Nuparu asked faintly through the microphone.

"I don't know," Hahli answered. She stared deep into the water, looking for him, but presuming the worst.

Jaller had done it all. He was Halhi's definition of a hero. He overcame a personal handicap and managed to save the world in spite of it. Conquering his fear, he threw all caution to the winds, as he charged into the abyss despite even Hahli's hesitation. He was prepared for defeat, but still went in expecting victory. That, Hahli thought, made him more of a hero than she could be. If Jaller could give his life to save all others, then Hahli could continue without him.

Just as she turned away, one last pod came from the water. Jaller's broken, but still breathing figure, hauled himself from the capsule. "Last-second escape," he breathed. "I got out just in time. So, did we win?"

Hahli just smiled at him. That one beautiful smile told Jaller all he needed to know. Jaller fell into Hahli's arms, only happy the Kaiju were defeated, that he was alive, and that his friends were still around to support him.


	12. Epilogue

_**BIONIC Rim**_

 **Epilogue**

 _The area around the Knowledge Towers was still barricaded. Onu-Matoran had left during the descent into Karzahni, but the accident site was still being investigated. Strewn along the barricade were the bodies of what had once been a Kanohi Dragon and its hatchling, which hatched prematurely due to the mother's death. Both would be sent to the Onu-Metru Archives for future study._

 _No workers were at the site, but had anyone paid witness, one would have seen a knife tear from the hatchling's still well-preserved body. One would have instantly noticed a black arm tear out with the knife in hand, and a purple Pakari protrude from the carcass. This fashion belonged to former black market dealer Mavrah, who had been pronounced dead earlier that day. His shop had been abandoned at the announcement of his death. And since nobody saw him emerge from the beast, it seemed likely he would remain that way for the time being._

 _Completely oblivious to this fact, Mavrah tore his way furiously through the tight sinew and leathery skin. When he emerged, he uttered angrily just one question to nobody in particular._

"Now where the Karzahni did my other boot go?"


End file.
